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Friday, 2 September 2016

UPDATED: A Change of Plan for the Cambridges & Isles of Scilly Engagements

It's day two of the Cambridges' 'mini-tour'. Following a flurry of engagements in Cornwall yesterday, William and Kate were scheduled to take a helicopter to the Isles of Scilly where they were to spend the day visiting the three islands of St Mary's, Tresco and St Martin's. Due to poor weather conditions they were unable to travel this morning.

With short notice, Kensington Palace swiftly arranged an additional engagement in Cornwall for William and Kate - a visit to the Eden Project.

With members of the media scrambled across various locations and given the last minute arrangements, it was something of a rush for Emily Andrews and photographer Arthur Edwards to get there.

Emily Andrews Twitter Feed

The Eden Project is not only a popular eco tourist attraction in Cornwall but an enterprise and a charity. Inside the two biomes are plants that are collected from many diverse climates and environments. The complex is dominated by two huge enclosures consisting of adjoining domes that house thousands of plant species, and each enclosure emulates a natural biome.

The biomes consist of hundreds of hexagonal and pentagonal, inflated, plastic cells supported by steel frames. The largest of the two biomes simulates a rainforest environment and the second a Mediterranean environment. The attraction also has an outside botanical garden which is home to many plants and wildlife native to Cornwall and the UK in general. Interestingly, the name Eden Project stems from the 1994 TV Series Earth 2.

A look inside the tropical biome.

William and Kate tour the rainforest biome - the world's biggest undercover forest.

The 'dinosaur' is certainly very impressive, isn't it? This summer visitors have the opportunity to tour the exhibit. "Come face to face with a pack of life-size moving dinosaurs. Marvel at their monstrous jaws stripped down to bare bone (complete with gleaming, full-size teeth). Learn more about their habits and ways of hunting down their dinner. Watch out for our roving T. rex and Triceratops as you stroll through the Outdoor Gardens – they may have given their handlers the slip and be lurking around every corner and behind every tree (you may also spot some gentler baby creatures that the little ones can make friends".

A tour of the Mediterranean Biome, which has plants from Mediterranean climates, and around the world.

William and Kate stopped at the Baobab & Rum Bar for a smoothie.

They both sipped smoothies containing the African fruit baobab from Malawi. William said: "It tasted a bit like mango."

William and Kate met young children including ten-year-old Sophie Hipps before leaving.

The Cambridges posed for a photo with their deputy comms secretary as it was his final day working with them.

Thankfully conditions cleared up at lunchtime and the Cambridges travelled to the Isles of Scilly. The St Mary's portion of the trip was cancelled, but the remainder of the itinerary went ahead as planned.

A look at scenic Tresco with the sun finally shining!

The royal couple enjoyed a wander through the terraces of Tresco Abbey Garden with the Dorrien-Smith family.

The sub-tropical Abbey Garden is a glorious exception - a perennial Kew without the glass - shrugging off salt spray and Atlantic gales to host thousands of exotic plants. The diversity of plant life to be found within the Abbey Garden is extraordinary. Fringing the lush grid of paths which criss-cross the gardens are a host of succulents, towering palm trees and giant, lipstick-red flame trees. Here you can find flowers of the King Protea and the handsome Lobster Claw. Walk amongst the great blue spires of Echium, brilliant Furcraea, Strelitzia and shocking-pink drifts of Pelargonium.

The Duke and Duchess visited Scilly’s postal flower service Scilly Flowers, which operates out of Churchtown Farm on St Martin’s. Their Royal Highnesses met Ben and Zoe Julian, the second generation of the family to run the successful Scilly business, and saw how the island’s flowers are stored, packaged and then posted to customers across the UK.

William and Kate took a boat trip to St Martin's for the final leg of the trip.

The couple received a warm welcome upon arrival in St Martin's and met locals.

William reminisced about family holidays on the Isles of Scilly when he met one of the islands' oldest inhabitants. William told 89-year-old Gladys Perkins how he enjoyed breaks there with his mother Diana, Princess of Wales when he was a child. Wednesday marked the 19th anniversary of the late Princesses's death.

More from the Press Association:

"The 89-year-old was sitting on a bench outside the island's community centre surrounded by her family when the Duke stopped for a brief chat. She said: "I said to William, 'you haven't been here for a good while' and he said 'no'. I said the 'last time you were here with your brother you were only so high'." The pensioner, whose husband is a Duchy of Cornwall tenant farmer on St Martin's, described how the second-in-line to the throne would visit the neighbouring island of Tresco with his parents and brother. She added: "They visited as a family, William and Harry were quite small, but they were left alone, no-one disturbed them."

The couple toured St Martin's community centre which was built as a local hub for residents and visitors alike, offering sports facilities, free WiFi access and a reading room. Their Royal Highnesses saw the facilities the new building offers and met a number of local residents who benefit from its services. As you can see, William was delighted to be presented with a picture by local children. :)

I suspect this little boy may have reminded him a bit of a certain little prince. :)

William and Kate connected with teenager Megan Hawker who shared her emotional story and thanked them for raising awareness of bullying and depression. More from the Mail Online:

William and Kate shared a touching moment with teenager Megan Hawker who was holidaying on St Martin's with her family and wanted to congratulate the couple on their public work tackling bullying and depression. The 16-year-old bullying victim stopped the couple as they walked and said to William: "I want to thank you, for the work you and Harry and Kate are doing about bullying."

The Duke appeared touched and said: "We've just started, there's lot's more to come, we're tackling the stigma but there's also legacy stuff." As the royal couple listened, Kate also sympathised and asked Miss Hawker how she had done in her GCSEs and the teenager replied "as well as I could" and William put his arm on the teenager's right shoulder as they left.

Afterwards Miss Hawker, from Stratford-upon-Avon, who every year holidays on St Martin's with her parents and younger siblings, said: "I've been bullied for over seven years, in primary school and throughout secondary school. And I was just so grateful for what they've done - I'm so emotional. "I was going to write to Kensington Palace, but when I heard they were coming to St Martin's I wanted to try and meet them." She said about her fight against bullying: "I'm getting help, but it's a long road." Her father Dean Hawker, a head chef in a gastro pub, said: "She's been through a lot but she was determined to meet them and thank them."

Kate sported her favourite Smythe One Button Blazer. The $595 jacket is described: "This wool jacket features a notched collar and a single-button closure. Welt bust pocket and patch hip pockets. Notched vent at back. Padding at shoulders. 4-button cuffs at long sleeves. Lined." It's available in most sizes at ShopBop. Kate debuted the garment by the Canadian brand in 2011 and wore it several times during the Canada tour. I expect we'll likely see it again during this month's tour.

Smythe

Kate wore a white top underneath.

It is believed the Duchess wore the H&M Off-The-Shoulder Top. The fitted white top comes in rib-knit fabric with short sleeves. It originally retailed for $35, but is currently reduced to $15. It's often very difficult to identify tops if they are worn with a jacket/blazer - in this case a photo posted on Twitter actually shows Kate removing her jacket on the boat (you can view it here). The top is available in sizes XS-XL on the H&M website. It's a very pretty piece and interesting to see Kate continuing to embrace the very on trend off-the-shoulder look. With many thanks to Packham Gown via Twitter and What Kate Wore for their work on this ID!

Splash News/H&M

The Duchess surprised us today, in a departure from her usual style, wearing the GAP BI-Stretch Skinny Ankle Pants. The ikat blue pants are 95% cotton, 5% elastane and are described as new and comfortable, shape-retaining bi-stretch weave: versatile and & holds shape all day; banded waist with belt loops; hook and bar closure, zip fly; front welt pockets with hidden zippers, rear welt pockets. The pants originally retailed for £45 before going on sale for £19.

GAP

An interesting nugget of information about the pants: they were made by women who participate in P.A.C.E., an education program that gives women the skills and confidence to change their lives. Gap Inc. launched P.A.C.E. in 2007 in partnership with vendors and global and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs). They leverage company resources and expertise and these critical partnerships to provide life skills, education, and technical training to female garment workers through the P.A.C.E. program. More than 25,000 women have participated in the programme so far.

The pants are available in a variety of prints and colourways in regular, petite and tall sizing.

GAP

Several readers noted this isn't the first time Kate has worn print trousers. Below we see her wearing her Zara pair at an England v Wales match last September.

It was a lovely two days of engagements filled with variety and plenty of time to meet locals in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. William and Kate appeared to have a wonderful time and will be returning home to make preparations for the upcoming Canada tour. Can you believe it's only three weeks away?

Hope you all have a great weekend and thank you for reading as always! :)

166 comments:

I'm glad that they had a backup plan! The Eden project looks really cool!! I had no clue such a big thing existed there! And great that the rest of the day seem to be able to go to plan. Hope they don't get stranded on the island later though! Biomes like that always look so sci-fi to me. And I love it!

Also, I see this comment of the dinosaurs... with no explanation. Can someone explain to me. Because I assume they're not real dinosaurs ;P

OOoooh, I really like this look! Very casual cute! Love that she's playing with the pants again :D Keeping with her standard blue, her go to blazer, her "standard" earrings, her comfy shoes etc but snazzing it up :) Very nicely done! And very nice that there is another level to the pants, being connected to that cause :) And her hair is very pretty :)

Rebecca, your question about the dinosaurs, so sweet and cute, like many of your comments, btw. :)(I know, I sound like your mom, lol.)AND, I was wanting to know about the dinosaur also but was embarrassed to ask, so thanks.

As I said in the previous post, same thing happened to Mr Leo and me (not that we planned to take a helicopter) and we never did get to Scilly Isles. Still, want to someday. Hope William and Kate do make it later today but what a wonderful place to visit in the meantime.

Love Kate's outfit today (even fine with the wedges here) = confirms what a lot of us have thought - she looks great in trousers with a nippy little blazer and a good top. And so nice about the P.A.C.E. - this is the sort of thoughtful dressing where Kate really shines.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that the purchase of the pants helps so many. Who knew The Gap had that affiliation? Now, thanks to Kate choosing those pants, and also to Charlotte highlighting that charitable reference, hopefully many more know now and will purchase pants from that program. I know I will when I need more leggings. yay

I also love (...English muffins ...lol, NO, I won't go into that again). I love her outfit today, maybe because I wear similar outfits a lot, but I also think the outfit for Kate and the event is young, appropriate, charitable, practical, comfortable, goes with wedges and is very pretty. Kudos to Kate. She obviously has been listening to us.

Thanks for sharing about Arthur Edwards, et al having to scramble to accommodate the change in plans, Charlotte. I love those personal tidbits. I happen to be a fan of Arthur Edwards so that makes that even more special. :)

Hopefully, they won't get stranded on the Islands. Good point, Rebecca.

When I saw the itinerary for this mini-tour, I did wonder how on earth Kate was going to manage in terms of what to wear. Yesterday sounded tricky enough - how do you find something dressy enough for a cathedral but casual enough for the beach? Today is just as difficult - although the engagements all sound fairly formal, assuming Kate and William will be using the local boats (which are not big ferries) between the islands, getting in and out of them wouldn't be at all easy in a dress and high heels! So I'm not too surprised to see Kate in trousers with her hair tied back today - great, practical choice, and I love the ethical element to the trousers.

I love this outfit today, much more than yesterday which I did find a bit bland and the skirt fell awkwardly. She shone but today the clothing shines too. I adore these pants and her hairstyle, so suitable and funky.

Love everything about this look on the Duchess today, and especially so given that an organization such as PACE was involved in the manufacture! What an interesting side trip – I had no idea these biomes existed, and I too am curious about the baby dinosaur. Suspect it’s a moving puppet of some kind, and obviously the Duke and Duchess are getting a big kick out of it! Thank you again, Charlotte, for your great coverage. I don't know how you do it in such a timely manner! Hope they make it to the Scilly Isles later on this afternoon.

Oh my goodness! We were all just talking about how great it would be if she wore a sharp outfit consisting of slacks and a blazer and Voilà! Way to go Kate! Perfect balance of comfy and sophisticated!:) More please!:)

Oh my goodness! We were all just talking about how great it would be if she wore a sharp outfit consisting of slacks and a blazer and Voilà! Way to go Kate! Perfect balance of comfy and sophisticated!:) More please!:)

She looks sensational! I love the top and pants, the jacket too. All put together beautifully. What a gorgeous lady. Fascinating to see the Eden Project. I was not aware of its existence. Great post Charlotte.

I like the top and blazer, I do wish she would wear something other than a blazer with tops but it still looks nice. Her hair looks nice, it looks casual because her hair is straight in the back, that goes nice with the casual outfit. I get why she wore pants because it looks pretty ugly and chilly outside! I don't like the pants at all. They remind me of those polka dot ones she wore before. Printed pants always make your legs look wider than they are, I don't like printed pants on anyone, except little kids. Kids are little they can pull of crazy prints on clothing :p Hopefully the weather comes out for the rest of their trip!

yessssssssss ! she did it ! wearing trousers for an official visit ! great look, really, the dark blue and white shades do complement each other so well, a bit of modernity !!! I have always dreamed of visiting the Scilly Isles, I hope that will come . every year, however, I get narcissus sent from there to my dear English "sister" .

Yay! Happy to see Kate in fun-loving trousers. I do think that trousers in general can become a tasteful part of her wardrobe if she wishes to head in that direction on occasion. Especially for more serious, business-y events. Is there anyone else who would like to see her experiment with trousers (or a pant suit) and a statement handbag? That type of ensemble really does lend instant credibility and maturity. If she does ever find herself attending some type of global conference, I hope she considers that type of outfit.

I agree - a well tailored trouser suit and a statement bag is THE ultimate polished look. Not sure it's her personal style though.

Good to see Catherine change up her too predictable casual outfit. Indeed more appropriate for an official ocasion than the skinny jeans. These particular pants don't do a lot for me, but I salute her willingness to try. There are quite a few better options (in my opinion) - but I guess this is a step in the right direction.

I just love her outfit. I am starting my intern this month to teach History at a high school, and this is a outfit that I totally would wear when the school has casual Fridays. I swear I think that Kate reads this blog. It would be so cool if she does.

I knew the pants were from the GAP the second I saw the photos. I saw them in the store, loved them and almost bought a pair for myself (I decided I need to lose a few pounds before I can get away with the cut of the pant). I even thought about how nice it would be to see Kate wear them! I have noticed a lot of women around the Cambridge, MA area where I work wearing these pants in different patterns. Very stylish!

The Eden Project is very very impressive and beautiful! Thanks to this blog I am learning so many new things about Great Britain, all good. Kate is very impressive and beautiful also! Her outfit is a complete "180" from yesterday and it's a style I had been hoping she would wear more often. THIS is how the wedges should be worn. Today they complement her outfit rather than clash. Love love love this whole dressy pants/blazer combination; it's been a long time coming! Kates hair looks phenomenal today also. The whole look gets a "10" .

Hats off to TRH's team for putting together such a great backup engagement.

I. Love. This. Look!! I have the pants in a different blue print and they are comfy and versatile. They are on a serious sale right now so I'm going to grab another pair today! Kate looks fantastic (of course) and I find the outfit to be appropriate in every way. Both yesterday and today Kate has looked beautiful and comfortable and happy.

Interestingly, Kate wore a similar pair of pants (though not identical) when she took George to the National History Museum last year. Then she wore them with a black sweater and black ballet flats. I have no doubt that she wears pants far more than anyone realizes (particularly on an everyday basis when she is at home or running errands).

It's great to see Kate in pants with a print! Never been a fan of the blazer though beause of the notch cut out in the back--it always looks to me like it needs to be straighted down as if it got caught and is folded under--it just looks out of place, imo. I'm like Rebecca--what was that dinosaur thing? lol

Lovely visit so far, with great venues and causes highlighted, even with the change of plans. It is gratifying to see the Cambridges supporting and calling attention to worthwhile and interesting organizations.

I like what Kate has chosen to wear thus far. Wedges are fine with me--so practical for a wide variety of sites. Today's pants-shirt-blazer outfit is very cute on her.

I LOVE this outfit. The pants are stunning and the ensemble looks ladylike and professional, but still young and fun. It's gorgeous on Kate and it's a nice compromise between something new but still within her 'comfort zone.' She looked lovely yesterday too!

I think it speaks volumes to the amount of preparation that goes into engagements, and especially tours (as this is a mini-tour), that this engagement was able to to switched. It seems clear that a Plan B of sorts was in place, as weather problems could arise. I look forward to what the afternoon brings!

Not sure how this comment I made in reply to Julia's 13:21 remark ended up down here amongst the Tedi responses.Does this happen to anyone else's remarks? I've noticed this has happened several times to my comments recently.anon 18:38

These are ankle pants, not trousers. Trousers are more like what Balbina had in her day wear design for Kate. Men's suits are made up of two articles of clothing, a suit Jacket and trousers, not ankle pants, skinny Jeans, leggings, or slacks, but trousers. That is the understanding in the U.S., right?

Anon 16:29 you are right!! I was having a hard time understanding calling these pants trousers, so had to educate myself to be sure I wasn't missing something. I am from the US and that was my understanding as well. She is wearing "ankle pants" and that is what they are on the website. Trousers and slacks would be more, formal, tailored, and a little looser cut through the legs. Pants, even the skinny type, have a thicker material and a zipper, and some tailoring at the top which differentiate them from leggings. Men usually wear trousers or slacks and women's are called dress pants or slacks. "Slacks look the same as suit trousers because they are made of more formal material, but are purchased separately. They would be worn alone or with a sportcoat. Pants are everything else, corderoys, chinos, jeans, and other less formal styles. In UK English, Slacks are trousers worn by women."

Kate looks very good in these pants, they have a sportier, casual effect, which is dressed up nicely with the jacket. This separates type of styling is perfect for the occasion and a nice change from the skinny jeans. She has the figure to wear this style of pants and she should. When and if she ever does wear slacks, she will look good in them as well, particularly in a style like Balbiina had in her day wear choice. Which BTW, Balbina, absolutely loved your choices. cc

02:19, do you click on preview before you submit your comment? Once in a while the preview option will "move" it elsewhere. If you do notice that it is not in the correct thread after you hit preview, go back and click on the "reply" you intended, and it should appear in the correct thread. Hope this makes sense! I've also learned to highlight and copy my comments just in case the computer has a hiccup at the exact moment I submit it. ;)

Few people use the word 'slacks' in Britain nowadays. It is a rather Fifties word. 'Trousers' is what we say for leg coverings that are not tights, jeans or leggings. 'Pants' are men's underwear. 'Vests' are also men's underwear. We say 'waistcoat' for the garment without sleeves. But of course, American English is taking over the world.

I suppose we should try to use the British terms here, Cecilia, but it is hard to remember all the distinctions. I can comprehend lorry for truck and kerb for curb and so on, but these terms for the garments we wear on our legs are rather complicated, in both brands of English! ;-)

Where I come from slacks are different from trousers. Trousers are only suit trousers with the wider leg, gathers at the top in front by the waistband and, of course, a front zipper, with typical menswear fabrics. Slacks are thinner in the legs, no gathers in the front and usually have a zipper on the side instead of the front. Pants can refer to slacks (dressier pants, like ankle pants for one example), Jeans, skinny Jeans, leggings and such but trousers are trousers. Balbina's trousers for Kate are a good example, women's fashion utilizing menswear.That is my understanding of it. When I hear the word trousers there is only one design, cut and fabric type (menswear fabric) I think of.

I so hope you are wrong about American English taking over the world, lol. I loved hearing the English language spoken by the man who was the first one to speak over William and Kate at their wedding, the man who walked before Kate and her father as they walked the aisle at Westminster. To me his accent and use of the language was so beautiful, almost mesmerizing if that is the right term. It was very beautiful. It was obviously very special and memorable to me. I could listen to him speak all day. :) James Middleton has a beautiful accent also, and as I have mentioned before, I don't think anyone, Helen Mirren or Colin Firth (love Colin Firth), could have done a better presentation.

We should be thankful that Russian or Chinese is not the prevalent global language. NO offense to anyone, lol. They are just very hard languages to learn as a second language as they are so complex. Beautiful, but complex.

Oh, I do like those pants on her. She looks well put-together. Nice to see her in something other than skinny jeans, but still casual and chic. And her hair is done nicely, as well. I tried to post yesterday but I guess it didn't go through. So I'll put in my two cents' worth now on that controversial pink dress! I'm in the minority that really liked it. It's a lovely dress, with elegant seaming. The wedges are too informal for it, although since she had to be on cobblestones and sand, I can understand why she wore them. Given how casually William was dressed, she might have done best leaving the dress for another time and choosing a more casual one for this occasion, one that would have worked with the wedges. Still, that's a quibble. They (and Harry) are doing a great thing by using their star power to shine a light on the people who live with the difficult, often misunderstood problems of mental illness and the people who work, without much pay or recognition, to help those who suffer. Kudos to them.

Sorry to be a negative Nelly, but I'm not loving the skinny ankle pants. They look more like leggings. They just accentuate how thin Kate really is. I think it's time to "retire" skinny jeans & pants. She's no longer at university. She's a mother in her thirties. I would love to see Kate in a nice pair of tailored trousers. The jacket is a bit too short and the cut-out back doesn't do a thing for this outfit. Her hair is OK, but a pony tail would have been even better. I'm happy to say William looks very nice albeit casual and appropriate for the day.

I'm 50 next year and I still wear skinny jeans. I really think a lot of old rules about what you can and can't wear at certain ages have been consigned to history. I don't dress anything like I remember my mum doing at my age and equally she didn't dress anything like her mum did at 50. Skinny jeans are just a regular part of a wardrobe at the moment. Times will change and Kate might be wearing flares in 5 years.

I'm with you 22:13. The look *is* in style at the moment and if one has the figure to pull it off, why on earth not? And with a pretty top and blazer, it truly takes it up a notch. Personally, I loved the look.

We're close in age and I, too, wear skinny jeans. I work hard to stay in my college days size and no one is taking them away from me. :)))

I'm 54 and also wear skinny jeans, but not as a duchess carrying out an engagement. She looked FANTSTIC in these pants because her figure is fantastic, BUT one size up and they would have looked more sophisticated, less like leggings. It's more about the occasion and less about her age or anything else. Still waiting to see tailored trousers on her...I think it will happen.

I agree with you, Daisy714. I would not use the word "trousers" to describe these pants. They are way too tight and look like they shrank in the wash. I also hate the cut-out in the back of the jacket. Weird and not flattering from that view.

I don't get skinny jeans, they are nothing but tights. It's getting old for sure. However, wear what you want, wear what you love - that's all that matters, truly. UNLESS you are a Duchess who respresents an entire kingdom. She should wear them with glee on her off days, never ever to an official engagement. Plus, they're too short, a size bigger would've been a little better.

Leggings are very different to these stretchy pants. Much thinner fabric. I think the size is perfect on Kate, any bigger and she would be swimming in them. The length is summery and appropriate. The printed pants are elegant and casual at the same time. Very suitable for today's engagement. Perfection as per usual for Kate.

Leggings are very different to these stretchy pants. Much thinner fabric. I think the size is perfect on Kate, any bigger and she would be swimming in them. The length is summery and appropriate. The printed pants are elegant and casual at the same time. Very suitable for today's engagement. Perfection as per usual for Kate.

Glad to find out they are ankle pants, thanks! :) But, it still doesn't look in porportion to me. They make the feet look too big. Anyway, there is no comparison to any other royal. Kate, fortunately or unfortunately represents her kingdom in a much higher profile way than any other royal on earth except Her Majesty. I took one of the pictures taken from behind and edited Kate's head out so it'd be annonymous and asked 2 people what they thought about the pants. They both said, "looks like someone wants to show their (behind) off. So, while I'm thankful to know they're ankle pants, I stand by my (modified) opinion that an extremely high profile royal representing an entire kingdom should be more modest when on official duty. Imagine William and Harry wearing pants that tight, or Charles, or the Queen! She shouldn't be showing off her goodies when on duty.

Some additional notes: This is the first time I have ever critised Kate to my knowledge, I basically worship them both.

Also, I'm sure if there were a real problem with her wearing (horrible) skinny pants she wouldn't be wearing them because from my limited understanding, the Queen gets her opinions through about things one way or another. :)

And Anonymous 22:13 and 1:06, I would assume both followed some of Diana's fashion. Who can forget the pink gingham ankle pants she wore. Yes, the style is different - today's fabrics have elastane woven in allowing the slim fit the Kate is wearing - both IMHO but women are fashion forward and appropriate. I really Diana isn't on an official engagement (but a photo shoot) but Kate also isn't Princess of Wales. She looks great. Photo of Diana: http://www.gettyimages.com/event/gingham-161946560?#diana-princess-of-wales-sitting-on-the-steps-outside-her-country-home-picture-id52103366

Hi Elle, I think the trousers the Duchess is wearing are nice and appropriate but they are not fashion forward - skinny trousers and jeans are not "in" this season. Instead, it's all about baggier cuts, "mom" jeans, etc. The Duchess is not fashionable (which is ok, not everyone is). I wouldn't call her a fashion icon.

Kate looks very nice from the front. The notch in the jacket over the white shirt tail and the tight pants are not so attractive from the back. As for William, his pants, OK trousers, really don't fit properly. They are perhaps too long as they wrinkle badly at the hip and knee. I give him credit for more dressy casual looks, though. His new linen blazers are very nice.

Florida girl, you have put it VERY aptly when you said that Kate is the most high profile Royal in the world except for the Queen. wow, what a surreal position to be in, especially for someone who hasn't grown up her whole life with that as the Queen has. Given that fact, I admire the way Kate is managing everything so far, just as you admire her. It is a miracle really that she is actually flourishing within all that. As she said in her wedding statement they are "strengthen by their union". Think about what else Diana could have added to her many accomplishments had she been able to be strengthened by faithful and sincere union with her husband. But most importantly, I believe, is Kate's faith in God, because as with the Queen's faith, that is her foundational anchor for her marriage and her other responsibilities. Therein lies her strength.

About the pants, you know, as much as I like Kate's outfit and am thankful she is going contemporary, casual Friday, for the Island events including the boat ride, etc., I think if you look at the way the pants fit the model (perfectly) and the way they fit Kate, although she still looks nice, there is something a bit off as far as fit and proportion like you were saying, when given the photo of them on the model. The wedges don't help the outfit much either as they do accent her feet so as to draw attention to the narrowness and length of the pants. If they fit her like they fit the model that would be the look I think she was going for. To me, she still looks appropriate and fresh though.

I agree with those who say that as a Duchess she should take it up a notch. I like the outfit; I'd wear it. But I wouldn't wear the pants that tight, and I don't think she should either when on a "business" event. In her private life, absolutely. However, I think one size up would have fit much better and would have turned them from super skinny to a nice slim fit that doesn't have divots in the back from stretching so much. The length might have been a smidge longer too.

I agree that I would not want her dressing like the Queen (how funny would that be?? Haha). I just think that when on official duty the world shouldn't be able to make out ever last curve and ripple between the navel and, let's say, half way up the thigh. And, there are other modern trousers that can be wonderfully attractive yet professional (there is an in-between dressing like your grandmother and wearing ultra tight clothing when being the face of a nation).

However, she is doing an absolutely fabulous job!!! I just love their attitudes, causes, and (what we know of) their personalities. The UK is so lucky to have them.

I am so rarely critical of fashion but I just can't stand the skinnies when on duty. You know what? It feels yucky to be negative so hopefully she'll stop wearing them so I can stop criticising it! ;)

Charlotte, I realized today that I almost never go to any other place to get my royal news when I used to have a long list of "regular stops" - thank you! :)

I think with the last minute change of venue, her outfit was alsopulled together at the last minute. Those pants/skinney whatevers could have been meant for the helicopter ride. She certainly doesn't want a dressanywhere near a helicopter-the wind.She was on the beach in a dress the day before;she very well could have planned a dress for today, or some otheroutfit suitable for a boat ride.

One size up wouldn't have mattered I think. Skinny jeans are meant to be tight against the leg and most commonly come with some sort of stretch in the fabric so think they would have still be tight in the legs, butt area.

If you look closely at the front, there appears to be some loose fabric there as there isn't another fashion faux pas visible.

Probably a matter of preference for which pants you like to wear. She likes the skinny style and definitely has the figure to pull it off so I say go for it. She looks professional and happy, and I would have worn this outfit to my corporate office as well. We live at the beach so admittedly our corporate causal is probably more causal then somewhere like the financial district of NYC but don't think the outfit is inappropriate.

Print pants!! I think I just fainted from happy shock. :) Seriously, she looks great, and I have loved seeing them out and about lately. Cornwall looks stunning, someplace I've always wanted to visit. And as someone who has anxiety disorder/depression, I can't say how very happy I am with their mental health awareness initiatives lately. (even though the pink dress yesterday was sorta boring, LOL)

i had no idea that there was anything like the eden project it's really scifi i would love to go there myself. i would also like to know more about that dinosaurs wow it sure looked real. loved her outfit today those pants are so cute although my heart sunk when i saw the wedge shoes again, i was so happy to see that she had changed them much nicer. it lookes like they had a fun day. thanks for the great post charlotte.

Interesting engagements these past few days and the area looks like an amazing place to visit.

I think she looks great today, and so happy she's not wearing another bland high waisted A line. The navy/white color combo looks fresh and so pleased to see pants, not jeans. The cut of the gap pants is fantastic. My one quibble would be that I would have preferred a solid color instead of the ikat pattern because it is rather unforgiving even on our super slim/toned duchess.

Kate's hair looks especially nice today. I like the height in the front as opposed to it being severely pulled back while the intricacies in the back are pretty.

I agree about Kate's outfit, which combined nautical and horticultural elements symbolic of the activities of her day. I also liked the colors and her hair style, and even the white umbrella. Most of all, she appeared to enjoy this visit to the edge of the country.

Has anyone noticed all the helicopters on the shirt of the little boy who got quite a reaction from William? Not to mention the beautiful royal helicopter itself.

The post is now fully updated with high-res photos, info from the engagements, quotes and videos. There's also a little info on the dinosaur exhibition (thank you to Anon who posted the link!) I think the dinosaur made quite the impression. :)

Kate looks very nice. And I am so glad she got to go to the Eden Project. A city near me has similar domes, constructed fifty years ago of glass and concrete that is now deteriorating. The three domes contain a forest, a desert, and a changing seasonal garden. They need serious repair, but I know from visiting them how interesting this kind of garden is, and so educational. Kate seems to be quite interested in gardens, and I hope she will visit Butchart Gardens, too, a completely different experience. Later I'll have time to read about those dinosaurs. :-)

Love the pants! This is a great look for her. Professional, yet also young and fresh. I can see why some people would prefer a more wide cut pant leg, but skinny dress slacks are very common nowadays. I also feel like wider leg trousers are slightly more formal. Today there was a lot of walking around, meeting/greeting/get the lay of the land and familiarize themselves with the area moreso than yesterday which had more of an 'engagement' vibe(I feel anyways). So trying out skinnies and a cute top/blazer worked perfectly as they were suited to the event.

As much as I love a navy blazer and appreciate the cut and fit of that one, the missing part in the blazer is not appealing to me at all, quite the opposite. I cannot understand why they would do that. Small potatoes though. Glad she was there.

I like that blazer with the fun cutout in general. But with thiss look it was rather odd becasue it showed a square of white right over the bum. But with dresses I like the little detail :) And as you say, small nitpick :)

Kate's pants are very much the fashion for "casual chic" in Europe this summer. There are recent photos of Queen Letizia wearing similarly patterned pants. Princess Mary also wears ankle cropped pants a lot. It's very pretty when you can see the ankles showing a bit, feminine and fresh. And neat little wedge shoes like these ones are always "the thing" in European summer. Classic. Young. Fresh. Love it!!

According to the Daily Mail, Nick and Becca dated for two years but broke up a while ago. They apparently had a place together in Hammersmith.He is supposedly dating Clara Madden now who is an assistant to Prince Harry and who has worked for William and Kate. She is from New Zealand, or at least her parents were living there for a while. William and Kate apparently thought enough about Clara to visit her parents while in New Zealand.

With Becca's busy schedule how she found time to date anyone is amazing.

Yes they were together for quite a while. There was something of a stir in the press when they broke up and Nick reportedly started dating an assistant to Prince Harry, as Anon stated above. It will be interesting to see who replaces him. Press relations do seem to have improved considerably since Jason Knauf came on board; things were pretty icy for a long time between KP and the media.

It's good to see it improve, as raising awareness is absolutely essential for the royals to get their message across, and a good working relationship with reputable media is hugely important to reach as large an audience as possible. I noticed overseas media, such as People!, are dedicating full articles to the Cambridges' focus on mental health.

That is great news Charlotte. Media interest and cooperation is why they show up to highlight those charities and organizations. Great news.

Sad about Becca and Nick. I did learn a lot more about Hammersmith though because of them. I came across information about the Hammersmith Bridge, the George and Dove Taverns, etc. (definitely on my future travel itineraries). One thing led to another, :), and I learned about the Mayflower Pub and the histories of the Westminster and Lambert bridges. Your blog has prompted many such adventures. For the menus at the George and the Dove I had to look up many things. Who knew hispi is a delicate cabbage? Or gem is type of lettuce, etc. Quite a cultural education. yay

good question. someone had to be there helping Kate because she at first didn't have her sunglasses and then she did, she had her purse, then she didn't and she changed her shoes. Who was carrying around her purse and wedges? I doubt Miguel would fancy doing that. I didn't see him carrying a bag. :)

I most always look for Becca and the others to see who of their entourage is present. I have noticed that Becca tries, at times, to stay out of the photos if she can. So maybe she will show up in some of the other videos or photos. Or, maybe since Nick seemed to have been there this time, Becca had someone fill in for her. Just a guess, but that doesn't answer who was carrying around Kate's stuff.

I know, 0316. I can usually find Becca, Miguel head or even David Manning in the photos somewhere. I couldn't find Becca anywhere for these events. If Miguel was there, Kate would have a person as her assistant there also.

Media interest is driven by public interest. The press has no choice-as long asWKH continue to engage the public, the press must follow or lose readership.The public seems endlessly fascinated by the royals. That's what drives publicity; not the largesse of the media.Media isn't the bug Sugar Daddy here. The public is

Thank-you anon 16:48. Public interest does have its downside-great for promotingcharities, not so great for the privacy of the royals.Its going to take awhile for the tradional press's perception of itself to catch up tothe realities of today's social media/ internet-driven news cycle. They are becoming redundant , they know it, and are fighting it by biting the hand that feeds them. The royals, for one source. William's defence of his family isn'tthe root of their problems. A few reporters and news outlets seem to be catching on that promoting rumorsand speculation can be done faster and more effectively on social media.The reporters should instead feature what is lacking there-research and documentation.Sorry for the rant.anon 1400

The photos of the islands are stunning as expected - I'm glad they were able to make most of their itinerary- sorry for those who may have been disappointed. Unfortunately, that's life down there, weather-wise.

I love Kate's hair. I confess I've never been a fan of the "Beauty Queen" bouffant curls - I liked it in the early days of their marriage when she wore it pulled back, yet natural - including several times on the Canadian tour. And here is that look again, intentionally or not. I think it is just very pretty on her and the outfit worked very well.

That we all had questions about the dinosaur being real or not was hilarious. Too much Jurassic Park, perhaps?

What a testimony to our faith in Charlotte's credibility.When she said Kate met one of the baby dinosaurswe believed her. lol Powerful stuff. Now that you know this, use your power wisely Charlotte. :)

Hahah, I obviously knew it wasn't real. But everywhere I saw it reported it was a "And then they met a dinosaur" comment only, like it was the most natural thing in the world so I was wondering if it was a reptile, a puppet or what on earth it was :P

What a shame the weather intervened on the planned programme and how disappointing for the people on St. Marys island I do hope they are able to visit them soon. However the Charity that run the Eden project well deserved their unexpected visit and in some ways timely as it has been a major attraction for some years and this will have been a timely boost to attract more tourists.I am glad the rest of the planned Scilly isles itinery was able to be undertaken and clearly it all went well. Both William & Kate seemed to thoroughly enjoy the whole day and were able to meet many of the local people in a far more informal way than normal. They both appeared very relaxed and happy. I think this 2 day away day event has been very successful and in some way good for both of them following what must have been quite a hard emotional day in Luton at least on their first two engagements followed by the visit to the call centre the next day.I also think Kate was very appropriately dressed for both days events and it was great to see her in these modern fitted trousers today rather than the dreadful skinny jeans she so frequently wears. She really looked smart young and modern and her hair was great.I doubt if we will see Kate again before the Canada tour although I see William is doing a solo visit to a youth centre on 14th Sept.Hopefully we shall get more details of Canada trip shortly

Another great day! I just hate to think how disappointed the people of St. Mary's must have been not to have them coming:(. The Eden Project seems to be a fantastic thing. The islands look beautiful too. Isn't it great that W&K can meet so many people, 3 year olds as well as 89 year olds, and just be themselves and natural, making those people's day? I also like Kate's pants and Sebago Bala shoes. Thanks for the post, Charlotte!

Msn.com/style section a brief summery of today's Kate outfit as "Casual Friday". Casual Friday has had its days of water cooler discussions including company policy defining "Casual Fridays". Some day may be readers here submit casual Friday out fits which complements Kate and/or their idea of it.

There is a saying every body has a twin in this world. That little boy can pass for almost a twin brother of young PG.

Whilst there is plenty of argument to be had on both sides, here is my two cents: at the very least, as the third queen in line, she should consider the same rules like a corporate executive is: third person down from the CEO - might be an Executive VP or head of department- would any professional woman at that level ever wear tight pants (never mind faded jeans) to an event where she represents the company?

I'm betting that in 99% (if not 100%) of Fortune 1,000 companies the answer is a loud 'no way'.

I work for one of these companies, no where close to the top, younger than Kate and I would feel ashamed to wear anything of the sorts. For my own feeling of dignity

I'm sure many of you will jump (assuming this post even makes it-my guess is that it won't). But I respectfully submit that many others feel the same.

I'm still holding hope she will eventually mature her casual style. And still love the queen (she most certainly is my queen)

My two cents... :) I don't think that royal wardrobes are interchangeable with that of a CEO. Also, the younger generation of royals (30's and 40's) is not dressing like the older generation did in their day, and this is most evident on the less formal occasions. For example, the way that the Queen, Charles, Camilla, or Anne would dress to attend a country Fair is quite different from W/K/H's generation.

I think it might differ from areas as well. Here in sweden we have rather relaxed dresscodes so I might have a different view. My dad who works as a salesman very rarely have a full suit. Often a shirt and blazer with some pants, or a polo shirt and nice pants, sometimes clean jeans etc. But he says that as soon as a german is involved even the "lower level" people are always in pristine full suits with tie etc. I don't know how it is in the UK, I can only speak from what I know, and her pants works fully well in alot of positions in Sweden, I think.

The Queen does not dress like a corporate CEO. She has her own style, which features bright colors, loose coats, and decorative hats. She does not wear the dark skirted suits or pant suits recommended for corporate women. Of the royal women, Princess Anne probably comes closest to dressing the way we might expect a woman in a responsible job to dress. And she is rarely admired for it, though she often looks very nice!

In the UK the dress code isn't very relaxed, at least not in the City (financial area). So, men wear suits and ties and women wear skirts, non-tight trousers, etc. Over the years, the dress code has relaxed but most people do dress very professionally and in certain industries, like insurance, the dress code is quite strict. For example, in certain industries women aren't even allowed to wear flat shoes.

Is there not something she can wear below her waist that is not a dress/skirt NOR skin-tight pants? It seems like we've forgotten there are options that allow one to move about more comfortably when assignments call for it yet are not super tight.

What Kate chooses to wear, when and where aside (typically better to leave Kate out of it and discuss the image, place and time, especially on this blog), discussing the look is probably the easiest.

Her ensemble from the waist up has a look of business casual in a professional environment (…don’t know about the cut from the back hem of the blazer though). From the waist down, fits trend setting jobs depending on company culture with fine arts bent. Otherwise, for a professional place, that is a weekender for a liberal office culture.

I think a good PR who consults either corporations or royals might consider everything beyond the personal taste of the person and/or VIP, and accommodate the wearer from various points of views a cross section of the spectators. Commercials exist for a reason obviously. Like it or not, monarchy is as much a profession and politics as a corporation, government and/or the ”firm”.

I do not find her pants skin tight:). My only issue really is the wedges and would prefer a different blazer. The cut away with the top showing is not the best. But overall she and William looked wonderful. ali

Thank you for your thorough and interesting posts on the Cornwall visit.

I like the idea of Kate's outfit-the blue and white, the interesting pattern, wearing trousers/pants but the execution is a problem. These pants are too casual by far for what is a "work" event. They might be alright for a George/Charlotte outing on the upcoming tour but here they aren't. The wedges with them are just odd.

For me, the very nub of the problem is something Kate generally avoids. The choice of this outfit makes her-her figure, her fashion presentation- the centre of attention, not the events themselves, the causes represented or the people who came out. It's an odd misstep for her.

Difference is that whenever she has worn the skinny pants is when she is climbing in and out of boats and partaking in some sport event. When she is not doing these type of activities she is dressed differently. Don't think the fortune 1000 company employees have the same job description as the royals and vice versa.

She looked just lovely to me, and I am not young. Sorry, but her pants are far from the basic tights material look pants so many people wear. I am not a fan of printed pants but no way are they too tight or show too much. The jacket cut away is not attractive, the horrible wedges are awful, the pants and her overall look is great.

I don't see the trouble in her attracting attention. I think by attracting attention to herself in a positive way, Kate only furthers her cause. Tbh, I believe Kate should take on more causes and try to explore this wonderful role she's been given for a good cause instead of opting to do the lesser amount of work she's been doing now.

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